Dibutyrate

/daɪˈbjuːtəreɪt/ noun

Definition

A chemical compound formed by attaching two butyric acid groups to a molecule, often used as a food additive or pharmaceutical.

Etymology

From di- (two) + butyrate (salt or ester of butyric acid from Latin butyrum, butter). These compounds were named after butyric acid, which occurs naturally in butter.

Kelly Says

Dibutyrates are fascinating because they're used both in medicine and food—sodium dibutyrate helps treat genetic diseases while dibutyl phthalate plasticizes your toys, showing chemistry's dual nature.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.